Effect of Controlling Heavy Metals in Soil of Rare Earth Mining Area by Biochar Supported Graphene Oxide

Abstract

Using navel orange peels and natural graphite as raw materials, biochar-supported graphene oxide (BGO) material was prepared using an improved hummer and co-pyrolysis method. The effects of BGO on the forms of heavy metals in the soil of a rare earth mining area were investigated via a soil passivation experiment. The soil column leaching experiment was carried out to explore the change characteristics of heavy metal content in leaching filtrate and the vertical migration law of heavy metals in soil, and the accumulation and release model of heavy metals under leaching conditions was determined. The results showed that pH value and organic matter content of soil with BGO composite increased, and acid-extractable Pb of raw ore and tailings soil decreased by 17% and 8.6%, respectively. The content of Mn form in the raw ore soil did not change significantly, whereas the content of acid-extractable, reducible, and oxidizable state in tailings soil decreased. The accumulation and release characteristics of heavy metals in soil could be divided into two stages:rapid release stage and slow stage. The release rate of heavy metals in soil with BGO composite was lower than that without addition, and the Pb and Mn removed from the tailings soil decreased by 2.5% and 28.4%, respectively, compared with that of the control group, whereas the raw ore soil decreased by 5.7% and 1.1%, respectively. The release of heavy metals in soil is a complex reaction process controlled by a variety of diffusion mechanisms. BGO composites can effectively inhibit the migration of heavy metals by increasing soil pH, surface complexation, and precipitation.